Container With Integrated Components

ABSTRACT

A container comprising, a body portion comprising a plastic material including, an inner cavity operative to store a sheet product, an outer surface having a storage portion partially defined by a shape of a tool operative to retain the tool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to product containers, and particularly to sheet product containers with integrated components. Sheet products such as, for example, absorbent towels are often stored in containers that allow a user to quickly and easily access sheet products.

The containers are often re-sealable by the user to prevent contaminants from fouling the sheet products. The containers are often designed to be durable so that the containers may be used in harsh work environments. Many sheet products are designed for specific tasks in work environments such as, for example industrial use in workshops, or for use in office or academic environments.

It is desirable for a sheet product container that offers additional functionality for a user in a work environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above described and other features are exemplified by the following Figures and Description in which a container comprising, a body portion including, an inner cavity operative to store a sheet product, an outer surface having a storage portion operative to retain a tool.

In one embodiment, a container comprises a body portion including an inner cavity operative to store a sheet product; an outer surface having a storage portion operative to retain a tool; and a lid portion removably disposed on the body portion having an opening that is communicative between the inner cavity of the body portion and an outer surface of the lid portion.

These and other advantages and features will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention that is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the accompanying Figures:

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate exemplary embodiments of a sheet product container.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a fabrication process for the sheet product container of FIGS. 1-4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of sheet product containers are provided.

In this regard, sheet products are often stored in containers that allow a user to easily remove a sheet product from the container. Some sheet products may be impregnated with a liquid or other substance such as, for example, soaps, antibacterial substances, cleaning substances, and lotions that are useful for cleaning objects such as, for example, hands, equipment, and dry-erase marking boards. Sheet products that are impregnated with a liquid are often stored in a container that is re-sealable by a user. The sealed container keeps the sheet products free from contaminants and prevents the sheet products from drying due to exposure to air.

The term “sheet products” as used herein is inclusive of natural and/or synthetic cloth or paper sheets. Sheet products may include both woven and non-woven articles. There are a wide variety of nonwoven processes and they can be either wetlaid or drylaid. Some examples include hydroentagled (sometimes called spunlace), DRC (double re-creped), airlaid, spunbond, carded, paper towel, and meltblown sheet products. Further, sheet products may contain fibrous cellulosic materials that may be derived from natural sources, such as wood pulp fibers, as well as other fibrous material characterized by having hydroxyl groups attached to the polymer backbone. These include glass fibers and synthetic fibers modified with hydroxyl groups. Examples of sheet products include, but are not limited to, wipers, napkins, tissues, rolls, towels or other fibrous, film, polymer, or filamentary products.

In general sheet products are thin in comparison to their length and breadth and exhibit a relatively flat planar configuration and are flexible to permit folding, rolling, stacking, and the like. The sheet product may have perforations extending in lines across its width to separate individual sheets and facilitate separation or tearing of individual sheets from the roll at discrete intervals. Individual sheets may be sized as desired to accommodate the many uses of the sheet products.

A number of sheet products are designed for use in a particular task. For example, some sheet products are designed for use in an industrial work environment such as a factory or workshop. The sheet products for an industrial work environment may, for example, include a heavy weight material, and may be impregnated with a substance such as a solvent or a soap used for cleaning tasks. Some sheet products may be used, for example, for cleaning writing from a dry-erase board. The sheet product may be impregnated with a solvent or other liquid that cleans the writing from the board.

The sheet products are often stored in a container that prevents contaminants from fouling the sheet products and that prevents the sheet products from drying due to exposure to air. Using sheet products for a particular work environment or task has led to a desire for containers for the sheet product that are also useful in the work environment.

For example, a user who is cleaning a surface may use a scrub brush along with sheet products to clean the surface. It is useful for the scrub brush to be readily available to the user, thus storing the scrub brush on the sheet product container is desirable. Other items may also be useful for storage on the sheet product container. For example, a flashlight, or other tools such as multi-tools. For sheet products that are used to remove dry-erase board markings, pens or other types of writing tools may be stored on the sheet product container.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a sheet product container 100 that includes a storage portion for a scrub brush. In this regard, the sheet product container 100 includes a body portion 102 having an inner cavity 104 operative to hold sheet products 106.

The body portion 102 includes a storage portion 108 that is operative to receive a tool such as a scrub brush 110. The storage portion 108 is shaped such that the scrub brush 110 is retained by the storage portion 108 when the scrub brush 110 engages the storage portion 108. The body portion 102 may be formed from a flexible material such as, for example, a plastic, preferably thermoplastic. The shape of the material may be deformed when a force is applied to the material. When the force is removed from the material, the thermoplastic material has a tendency to return to a previous shape.

The flexibility of the material allows the body portion 102 to deform from a force applied by the user, such as, while the scrub brush 110 engages the storage portion 108. Once the scrub brush 110 engages the storage portion 108, a counter force exerted by the material as the material returns to a previous shape of the material retains the scrub brush 110.

To aid in the retention of a tool in storage portion 108, the storage portion 108 may be formed with an engagement rib or protrusion 312 that forms an undercut therebehind (see ribs/protrusion 312 at storage portion 108 of FIG. 3 for example), where the tool snaps into the storage portion 108 as it engages and is forced behind the rib/protrusion, similar to how a drill bit may be snap-fit into a plastic holder, for example.

A lid portion 114 is shown in FIG. 1 that engages the body portion 102. The lid portion 114 seals the sheet product container 100. The lid portion 114 in the illustrated embodiment includes an opening 116 that is communicative between the inner cavity 104 of the body portion 102 and an outer surface 117 of the lid portion 114. The opening 116 may be used to dispense sheet products 106 from the body portion 102. A cap portion 118 engages the opening 116 to seal the lid portion 114. The cap portion 118 is shown in the illustrated embodiment as having a retaining portion 120 that retains the cap portion 118 on the lid portion 114. The retaining portion 120 may include, for example, a flexible tab, a hinge assembly, or a retaining tie.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternate exemplary embodiment of a sheet product container 200. The sheet product container 200 is similar to the sheet product containers described above, and includes a storage portion 108 that is shaped to receive and retain a hardware tool 210. The tool 210 shown is a “multi-tool” but may include any type of tool such as, for example a screwdriver or a wrench.

FIG. 3 illustrates another alternate exemplary embodiment of a sheet product container 300. The sheet product container 300 is also similar to the sheet product containers described above, and includes a storage portion 108 that is shaped to receive and retain a flashlight 310.

FIG. 4 illustrates another alternate exemplary embodiment of a sheet product container 400. The sheet product container 400 may include sheet products 106 designed to be used to remove markings from a dry-erase board. The sheet product container 400 includes a storage portion 108 that is shaped to receive and retain one or more marking devices 410.

It is to be understood that the sheet product container disclosed herein can readily be adapted to retain a variety of different tools. Other examples of tools include, but are not limited to, bottles (e.g., spray bottles, detergent bottles, and condiment bottles), cutlery, hunting and fishing gear, and painting supplies (e.g., brushes and putty knifes).

An exemplary method for fabricating the sheet product container is by using blow molding. FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary blow molding fabrication process. In block 502, a mold of the sheet product container is formed. A hot plastic material is then inserted into the mold in block 504. In block 506, the hot plastic is injected with a pressurized gas that expands the plastic material such that the plastic material contacts the mold and conforms to the shape of the mold. An interior portion of the plastic material is expanded to form a cavity inside the plastic material. Once the plastic material cools, it may be removed from the mold in block 508. The formed sheet product container may be processed further if necessary to complete the fabrication of the sheet product container.

Advantageously, the containers disclosed herein provide an added value to the end-user by readily having tools coupled to the sheet product container for ease in transport and handling.

While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best or only mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. 

1. A container comprising: a body portion comprising a plastic material including: an inner cavity operative to store a sheet product; an outer surface having a storage portion partially defined by a shape of a tool operative to retain the tool.
 2. The container of claim 1, further comprising a lid portion.
 3. The container of claim 1 wherein the container further comprises a lid portion operative to securely removably engage the body portion.
 4. The container of claim 1, wherein the container further comprises a lid portion having an opening communicative with the inner cavity and an outer surface of the lid portion.
 5. The container of claim 4, wherein the container further comprises a cap portion operative to engage the opening.
 6. The container of claim 1, wherein the tool is a scrub brush.
 7. The container of claim 1, wherein the tool is a writing device.
 8. The container of claim 1, wherein the tool is a hardware tool.
 9. The container of claim 1, wherein the storage portion includes a rib portion partially defining an undercut area in the storage portion operative to engage the tool and retain the tool in the storage portion.
 10. A container comprising: a body portion including: an inner cavity operative to store a sheet product; an outer surface having a storage portion operative to retain a tool; a lid portion removably disposed on the body portion having an opening that is communicative between the inner cavity of the body portion and an outer surface of the lid portion.
 11. The container of claim 10, wherein the tool is a scrub brush.
 12. The container of claim 10, wherein the tool is a writing device.
 13. The container of claim 10, wherein the tool is a hardware tool.
 14. The container of claim 10, wherein the storage portion includes a rib portion partially defining an undercut area in the storage portion operative to engage the tool and retain the tool in the storage portion 